Aircraft Engine [Hall-Scott A-7]
Maker and role
Hall-Scott Motor Car Company, Manufacturer
Production date
1918
Object detail
Accession number
1964.229
Production period
Description
Hall-Scott A-7-A, 4-Cylinder inline piston engine, air-cooled; 100hp; Displacement 9.9L.
Crankcase painted blue with black cylinders, mounted on silver stand.
Type as fitted to Walsh Brothers’ New Zealand Flying School “A” Flying Boat 1918.
Crankcase painted blue with black cylinders, mounted on silver stand.
Type as fitted to Walsh Brothers’ New Zealand Flying School “A” Flying Boat 1918.
Brief History
This is one of two Hall-Scott Aircraft Engines from 1918.
In early 1918 the New Zealand Flying School ordered two Hall-Scott A-7A 100 HP engines from the United States. One was used in their “A” flying boat to replace the existing Roberts engine. The “A” Flying boat was designed by Leo Walsh and built by the Walsh Brothers with help from woodworkers (including boat-builders) in 1916.
‘A’ was a larger version of the Curtiss flying boats they had. The Roberts engine was started by a man standing on the seat and turning a crank handle which came out of the front of the radiator. Damaged occurred to the Roberts engine in November 1917 and it was replaced by the Hall-Scott A-7A in the early months of 1918. The Hall-Scott had a self-starter and did not need to be cranked.
An enormous improvement was found in the aircraft’s performance. George Bolt noted in his diary for 19 May 1918 “I’ve just flown “A” with her new engine and she’s just a peach! She carried four of us up to town, and with two aboard romps out of the water. She’ll fly at half throttle and her self-starter saves a lot of cranking.”
In early 1918 the New Zealand Flying School ordered two Hall-Scott A-7A 100 HP engines from the United States. One was used in their “A” flying boat to replace the existing Roberts engine. The “A” Flying boat was designed by Leo Walsh and built by the Walsh Brothers with help from woodworkers (including boat-builders) in 1916.
‘A’ was a larger version of the Curtiss flying boats they had. The Roberts engine was started by a man standing on the seat and turning a crank handle which came out of the front of the radiator. Damaged occurred to the Roberts engine in November 1917 and it was replaced by the Hall-Scott A-7A in the early months of 1918. The Hall-Scott had a self-starter and did not need to be cranked.
An enormous improvement was found in the aircraft’s performance. George Bolt noted in his diary for 19 May 1918 “I’ve just flown “A” with her new engine and she’s just a peach! She carried four of us up to town, and with two aboard romps out of the water. She’ll fly at half throttle and her self-starter saves a lot of cranking.”
Marks
HALL-SCOTT / AIRPLANE ENGINE / TYPE A-7-A M'FGR'S NO. 377 / ... / MANUFACTURED BY / NORDYKE & MARMON Co. / INDIANAPOLIS, IND. Maker's Plate
HALL-SCOTT MOTOR. / INDIAPOLIS. / IND. U.S.A. / NORDYKE & MARMON CO. Maker's Mark
HALL-SCOTT MOTOR. / INDIAPOLIS. / IND. U.S.A. / NORDYKE & MARMON CO. Maker's Mark
Media/Materials
Collection
Credit Line
Hall-Scott Motor Car Company. 1918. Aircraft Engine [Hall-Scott A-7], 1964.229. The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
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